Slaveholders and Slaves in Mamaroneck Township

 
 
James Mott
 

They disembark in Saint John and set out to make new lives for themselves and their families. Facing many hardships, including racist restrictions on their new-found freedom, Cox stays on, and perhaps Jeremy Cox, who marries in nearby Gagetown in 1806, is one of his sons.

In January 1790, Jack ran away from Peter Allaire who posted a Runaway Notice in the Connecticut Courant. The notice said that Jack called himself Free Man John.

The slaves listed here by name are identified in various records as being owned by Budd. The 1790 census lists 12 slaves in his household, the 1800 census lists 9, and the 1810 lists 8. But other records of ownership, deaths and births do not square with the census numbers.

For example, Budd started 1790 with 12 slaves, then freed one in 1799, and acquired two more by birth, presumably leaving him with 13. Yet the 1800 census has him with 9. Perhaps 4 died and their deaths were not recorded.

Similarly, he started 1800 with 9 slaves, then freed 1 and acquired 5 by birth, which should have totaled 13. Yet the 1810 census shows only 8. Perhaps 5 died.

An alternative hypothesis, which cannot be tested with the information available, is that Gilbert Budd sold some of his slaves.

Susannah appears in Township records as being set free by Budd on January 26, 1799.

Jack appears in the Township records as being set free by Budd on March 27, 1799. This may be the same person as Jack Purdy, listed as the father of Eliza in 1809.

Bet appears in the Mamaroneck Township records as the mother of Pheby, who was born on July 12, 1799 and registered by Gilbert Budd as his property. Bet is probably the same person listed as mother to Peter (1802), Charles (1805), and Eliza (1809).

Phebe appears in the Mamaroneck Township records as the mother of Daniel, who was born on July 8, 1799 and registered by Gilbert Budd for for more than 2 decades of indentured servitude.

Hannah appears in the Mamaroneck Township records as the mother of Henry, born on November 11, 1800, and of Sarah, born on November 22, 1802. Budd registered both children or for more than 2 decades of indentured servitude.

Bet reappears in the Mamaroneck Township records as mother of Peter, born on February 1, 1802. This is probably the same woman as Pheby’s mother, above.

Peter appears in the Mamaroneck Township records as the father of Sarah (whose mother was Hannah, above).

Bet reappears in the records as mother to Charles, who was born on September 10, 1805 and registered by Gilbert Budd or for more than 2 decades of indentured servitude.

Hannibal appears in the Mamaroneck Township records as being set free on August 20, 1808. This may be the same person as Hannibal Lemmore, who is listed under “other free persons” in Middletown, Connecticut’s 1810 census.

Jack Purdy appears in the Mamaroneck Township records as the father of Eliza, born on October 26, 1809; Bet is listed as the mother. This may be the same Jack freed by Gilbert Budd in 1799 (see above). However, Eliza’s status was based on her mother’s enslavement. Budd registered Eliza or for more than 2 decades of indentured servitude.

Father (1717-1792) and son (1753-1798) both went by Benjamin Griffin.

In July 1784 James ran away and Benjamin Griffen (most likely the father but possibly the son) who posted a Runaway Notice in the New York Packet and the American Advertiser.

In November 1796, another slave named Jack also ran away, and this time Benjamin Griffen the son posted a Runaway Notice in Greenleaf’s New York Journal and the Patriotic Register. 

According to Township records, Deborah Horton freed Charley on March 27, 1799. She freed Charles Johnson on April 4, 1801. There is a “Charles Johnson” who appears in the “other free persons” category in the New York City census of 1810.

Township records show she freed Andrew on January 17, 1822.

Edward Merritt appears in the 1790 census as holding 8 slaves, and in 1800 as holding 8 slaves. Gin was the mother of Peg, born on March 29, 1800 and registered by Edward Merritt as his property. Township records indicate that Merritt set Harry free on March 27, 1799. 

Tom Pott, Jr. was born on September 25, 1805, son of Nanny and Tom Pott, and was registered by John P. D’Lancey or for more than 2 decades of indentured servitude. Tamar was born on April 21, 1808, son of Nanny and Tom Pott, and was registered by J. P. D’Lancey for indentured servitude. Jack appears in the Township records as being set free on November 15, 1808. George was born on October 10, 1809, son of Dorothea and Lewis, and was registered by J. P. D’Lancey for indentured servitude A child named Anne or Nancey was born on October 12, 1814, daughter of Harriet, and was registered by J. P. D’Lancey for indentured servitude.

The following are transactions documented in the Bills of sale in the De Lancey Family Papers, Museum of the City of New York. The source is the Mamaroneck History Facebook page. 

• 1793 March 29: Margaret (Peg) 10 yrs old, $30 – for life – from Charity & Jonathon Purdy, Executors of Joseph Purdy’s estate (White Plains)
• 1793 April 13: Report: “Slave given to Elizabeth Delancey, John Peter’s wife.”
• 1795 June 30: Tom 15 yrs old, $85 – for life – from Benjamin Decker of Northfield, Richmond County (Staten Island)
• 1796 September 07: Simon (Sime) 25 yrs old, $100 – for life – from Abraham Van Alen of Kinderhook, Columbia County (upstate almost to Albany) Simon escapes in 1809 as documented in 1809 Runaway Notice John P. De Lancey pursues Sam or Simon Woodbeck.
• 1797 March 24: Peter 45 yrs old, wife 35 yrs old, Abraham 5 yrs old, Sam 9 mths old, $180 – for life – from Valentine Nutter of New York City
• 1797 April 13:  Description & Reward for a runaway slave, Simon. Simon also escapes in 1809 as documented in 1809 Runaway Notice John P. De Lancey pursues Sam or Simon Woodbeck.
• 1798 August: 10 Phebe 16 yrs old, $60 from H. G. Livingston of New York City
• 1803 March 30: Jack Purdy 30 yrs old, purchased for 5 years from Hakaliah Purdy
• 1804 February 07: Nanny (Nan) 22 and her baby sold to Bartholemew Ward of Mamaroneck
• 1805 April 22: Nanny 23 yrs old, and infant, $80 purchased for 5 years, back from Bartholemew Ward.
• 1806 April 14:  Betty Halley 16 yrs old, $125 purchased for 8 years from Ruth Ward, Eastchester. “Which manumission is to take place at the end of eight years from the first day of May next, which will be in the year one thousand eight hundred and fourteen – provided, however, if the maid Betty should have a child or children during her servitude she will serve one additional year for every child before she is entitled to her freedom, a witness my hand and seal this fourteenth day of April, 1806.” Signed, J.P. De Lancey
• 1806 May: Lewis, boy, $250 purchased for 12 years.
• 1807 May 14: Betty Halley sold to Peter Underhill
• 1809: Mike (Michael), boy, $100 purchased for 5 years, 8 mths.
• 1809 March 02: This entry is NOT about J.P. De Lancey. “I just thought you might like to know that Jack Purdy, former “time servant” of J.P. De Lancey (purchased for five years in 1803) fathered a daughter Eliza with Gilbert Budd’s slave Bet.” This suggests that, now a freeman, Jack remained in Mamaroneck.

The references to Fred, Harriet, Henry, Joseph, Harris, several small children and a female cook are in Small Family Memories.

Angevine is mentioned in documention of the Angevine Cemetery in Scarsdale: “Cooper’s father-in-law John Peter Delancey may have owned a slave named Angevine at Heathcote Hill.”

Jane was probably the wife or daughter of Edward Merritt, because this relationship is implied by a runaway slave notice that described her as the executrix of Edward Merrill’s (probably Merritt’s) estate. (For more about the Merritts, see Spikes, 1991, p. 13)

In March 1808, a slave called Harry ran away from “Jane Merrill.” We know this because she posted a Runaway Notice in the New York Commercial Advertiser. Jane Merrill is probably Jane Merritt (see immediately above) and her name was spelled incorrectly in the notice. The notice states that Harry belonged to “the estate of Edward Merrill” who is probably the same person as “Edward Merritt” listed above.

Curiously, the description for Edward Merritt refers to the manumission of a slave called “Harry” in 1799, which suggests that Edward Merritt had two slaves called “Harry.”